With a New NBC Sitcom on the Way, Katherine Heigl Reveals Her Worst Career Move

Actress Katherine Heigl opens up about one big career regret in a new interview that coincides with the launch of a new phase of her career. The longtime "Grey's Anatomy" star talked with Marie Claire UK as she gears up for the rollout of her new NBC comedy "State of Affairs," TheWrap.com reports.

Her big regret, Heigl says in the interview, is she did too many romantic comedies, which may have burned her out and burned out her fans too.

"Maybe I hit it a little too hard. I couldn't say no," she tells Marie Claire, admitting that she loved doing romantic comedies. "There's nothing wrong with them, but maybe I overloaded my audience. I should have done a superhero movie or a psychological thriller.”

TheWrap notes: "During the five seasons on 'Grey's Anatomy' [2005-2010], Heigl starred in several romantic comedies, including 'The Ugly Truth,' '27 Dresses' and 'Knocked Up.' And as a result, the actress said she felt that she wasn't challenging herself."

Heigl stepped out of the limelight after her run on "Grey's" and regrouped, moving to Utah and focusing on family over career. "I stopped challenging myself," she told Marie Claire. "It became a bit by rote and, as a creative person, that can wear you down. That was part of why I took that time off, to ask myself, 'What do I want? What am I looking for?' and shut down all the noise."

TheWrap notes that Heigl's "Grey's Anatomy" castmate Ellen Pompeo offered a blunt assessment back in October of Heigl's departure from the show, when Pompeo said: “You could understand why she wanted to go — when you're offered $12 million a movie and you're only 26. But Katie's problem is that she should not have renewed her contract. She re-upped, took a big raise and then tried to get off the show. And then her movie career did not take off.”

Heigl notes in the interview that her deal with the producers of "State of Affairs" limits the program to 15 episodes per season, enabling her to continue to live in Utah.